Friday 14th November : Cloudy, overcast, Temp 3 celsius Wind 40 knots

Arrived at South Georgia.

I doubt there’ll be many mornings like this one, when I wake up, draw
the curtains and find an iceberg floating past my window ! We had
arrived offshore at South Georgia and our true Antarctic experience
begins today. The storm didn’t disappoint and the ship rolled to
impossible angles, and righted itself as we looked out the windows at
the sky being replaced with water, which takes a long time to get used
to. Having been nearly thrown out of my bunk, I decide to break out my
sleeping bag and sleep below in the lounge.. a few others had the same
idea. The atmosphere on board the ship last night had a Christmas Eve
feel to it, with everyone sharing the excitement of knowing when we wake
up, South Georgia, it’s icebergs and wildlife will be waiting for us
outside.

But we are quick to learn that you are at the mercy of the climate here,
and the weather has the last say in the type of experience you’ll have
when you venture this far south. At breakfast the change in clothing
from casual to 4 layers of thermal and waterproof was a good indicator
of what our traverse team faced in the days ahead as is the strength of
the Katabatic winds that take the breath from you when out on deck.

While most were still getting ready the traverse team boarded the
zodiacs and raced for the shore, as it was clear that the weather was
not going to make this an easy start. Once ashore , the bad news was
relayed to the rest of us on board, that it was too rough to land our
party. Although we’re all disappointed, it’s readily accepted as being
part of the whole experience, so it’s back to the lounge and to wait for
the winds to drop.

Through binoculars I watch the team sort their gear, and rope up into
their groups, they have some rocky ground to cover before heading up a
steep incline into a snow field. When they reach 500 meters , they will
radio the boat with their status. Either they are fine to continue on,
or they must return. Looking up at the summit of this snow field which
is now hardly visible, I’m starting to feel a little less jealous of the
trek they’re undertaking !

The beach where they landed in King Hakkon bay, is a narrow windswept
stretch of stone, which is dominated by the huge Elephant and Fur Seals.
Even from the ship, the size of these seals is incredible and I can’t
wait to get ashore and stand beside an animal that is nearly as tall as
I am, while lying down!

Spotting four figures moving off toward the snow line, I was curious to
see which of the traverse team were so keen, even with binoculars it
wasn’t immediately clear that these weren’t humans , but were a group of
King Penguins, whose size again is impressive.

They’re ashore over an hour now and I have lost sight of them. Having
read about Shackleton’s landing in this exact bay for the last ten
years, it’s such an amazing thing to be here and see for yourself the
inhospitable and wild place they were so glad to reach. Knowing that
it’s much colder and with winds that will blow a man over on even the
lower elevations of the mountains, I have the utmost respect for our
team of ordinary people, doing such an extraordinary thing and if at all
possible even more respect and admiration for the pioneers of this
route.